Improvement in fence-posts



UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE,

GILBERT J. SHOEMAKER, OF ALBION, IOXVA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCE-POSTS.

Speeificato forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,(24, datcd July 30, 1878; application filed June 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, GILBERT J. SIIOE- MAKER, of Albion, in the county of Marshall and State of lowa, have inventcd certain new and useful Improvements in heme-Posts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thercof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference bein had to the aceompanying drawings, and to thelctters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construetion and arrangeme'nt of a metallic t'ence-post i'or wire or board or picket fences, as will be hereiuafter more fully set forth.

In the anuexed drawing, to which reference is made, and which fully illustrates ny invention, Figure l is a front elevation of my improved felice-post. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the line x x, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a modification of the construction of the post.

A represents the post proper, made of a single piece of strap-iron, having its lower end bent outward and then downward, formin g the prong B. A second prong, B', is made of similar material, and having its upper end bent inward and upward, and fastened to the body of the post A by means of rivets or bolts a a The two prongs B B' are pointed at their ends and slightly inclined inward toward each other, so that their lower ends will be a little closer together than their upper ends. When these prongs, which form the foot of the fence-post, are then driven into the ground, their points will approach each other and, as it were, compress or clamp the ground between them, which renders the post firm and solid in the ground, and the post cannot be taken up without the earth between the prongs also coming up with them.

On each side of the foot, near the top, is a plate, G, extending beyond the same in both directions. These plates C O lie against the edges of the prongs B B', and are clanped firmly thereto by means of a bolt, I), passing centrally through theni, and a nut, (l, screwed up tightly on its end.

The plates C C are pret'erably arranged at such a point on the foot that when the foot is placed in the gronnd their upper edges will be level, or ncarly level, with the ground, and when thus placed in position these plates prevent any forward or backward movement of the post, the prongs preventing any side movement, as well as clamping and holding the post firmly in the ground.

Where greater strength is required, I may make the post A double, as shown in Fig. 4- tlat is to say, the piece ot' iron of which. the post is made is bent in the center, the two arms running parallel to each other and a short distance apart. The prongs B B' are, in this case, both made separate from the post, and their upper ends inserted between and fastened by bolts or rivcts to the lower ends of the arms of the post.

The felice-post as thus eonstructed may be used either for wire fences, board, or pickct fences.

V'Vhen designed for board t'ences, the boards are held to the post by means of wire staples h, passing around the boards, and having their ends fastened in holes in the post.

For picket-fcnces, these wire staples are arran ged to hold the board or seantlings to which the pickets are fastened.

For wire fenees the wires may be held to the post by various means. For instance, I have shown the wire w passed through or dropped into an inclined noteh, i, in the post, and held by a pivoted latch, m; but I prefer to make a T-shaped slot, n, in the edge of the post, into which the wire is passed. An open wire loop, p-that is, a loop having its ends eapable of being opened-is then passed through the same slot, which holds the wire therein and prevents the same from beeoming detaehed unless the loop be first opened and removed.

In some cases I may use a wedge-key, t, instead of the loop.

Having thus full y described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A sleetmetal fc-e-p0st consistig of a my own I have lereto affixed my signature in single or double strap post, A, with a foot presence of two wtnesses.

conposed of two iclined poited progs, B v 41 B', and the c'oss-plates C C, adjustably fast- GILBERT JOSEPH SHOEMAKI I ened to the prongs by a bolt, substatially as VVitnesses: and for the purposes lerein set forth.

In testinony that I claim the foregnng as J. B. CRIPPS, DAVID WORCESTER. 

